Giants give Osi permission to seek trade

Osi Umenyiora spent a good part of Giants practice pedaling an exercise bike. The Giants, meanwhile, appear to be peddling him.

Umenyiora received something from the Giants that he has been looking for for several years: the opportunity to find another team that would be willing to trade for him and pay him more money. The Giants granted the disgruntled defensive end and his agent, Tony Agnone, permission to shop a trade, sources said.

The same sources told Newsday that the Giants told Umenyiora they'd be looking for a first-round pick in return, although the asking price and eventual selling price certainly can differ. Whoever acquires him probably would need to rework the contract and pay him something close to what Charles Johnson recently reupped for in Carolina: $72 million over six years ($32 million guaranteed).

Whether other teams would be willing to pay that much for a 29-year-old defensive end with chronic hip issues remains to be seen, but Umenyiora proved last season that he can be an elite pass rusher and a disrupter when he set an NFL record with 10 forced fumbles.

He has sat out the last two practices, but even his friend Justin Tuck admitted that is simply a "strategy" and not due to any medical condition.

In an email to The Associated Press, Umenyiora said he hopes for a chance to remain with the Giants -- presumably under a new contract -- and railed against an NFL system in which contracts are virtually disposable to teams unless they become convenient.

"What really annoys me is the hypocrisy of people clamoring for my head for asking for a new deal or to be traded," Umenyiora wrote. "Saying I have two years left on my deal. These contracts only mean something to us? Where is O'Hara? Where is Seubert? True inspirational football players. They were cut after being injured. They have years left on their deal. Why is Jacobs asked to take a pay cut? He has years left on his deal.

"The fact is in the business we are in, if you get injured, or they feel like you underperformed, they cut you without hesitation," he continued. "But if you clearly outplay your contract, and ask for something to be done, you're a bad guy and not a team player. It's ridiculous."

Umenyiora also questions how a player who "had one good year" in Carolina's Johnson can sign a deal and make more money than he and Tuck combined.

The Giants do not appear willing to budge on a new contract for Umenyiora, which makes it seem that the only way this will be resolved is for Umenyiora to play elsewhere and for the Giants to receive compensation.

The loss of Umenyiora probably would mean Mathias Kiwanuka would become a full-time defensive end and not a hybrid linebacker as he was early in 2010, when he was the Giants' best defensive player before a neck injury ended his season.

"Somehow or another I just know that Osi's going to be a Giant," Tuck said. "This has been going on for a while now and they haven't gotten rid of him yet even though they've had ample opportunity to . . . I know what Osi means to this team so I haven't even allowed myself to think of him not on this football team come opening day."

Can the Giants be an elite defense without Umenyiora?

"Time will tell," Tuck said. "As of right now I don't have to worry about that."